§ Mr. Tony Marlowasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the likely level of employment in British Shipbuilders after the postulated cuts; how this compares with the number of workers at the time of nationalisation; and what has been the percentage reduction in employment since nationalisation.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonFollowing the privatisation of the warship building and ship repair yards and its general engineering subsidiaries, British Shipbuilders now comprises merchant ship and engine building companies only. Once the current restructuring programme has been completed, employment in British Shipbuilders is likely to total about 6,500. This compares with 44,800 employed 409W in merchant ship and engine building and 87,300 within the whole of British Shipbuilders at the time of nationalisation, reductions of some 85 and 92 per cent., respectively.